Will Carter have a Hollywood ending?

The news of the day probably would have been the ever-changing trade status of one James van Riemsdyk, until Hollywood got in the way.

No, not the Oscars.

Something even more bombastic and, if we’re talking about scripts here, even more improbable.

That’s right, the trade of ex-Flyer center Jeff Carter to the Los Angeles Kings, where he has been reunited with his good pal, Mike Richards.

When last we saw these two together, they were saying good-bye to Philadelphia — Carter to Columbus, Richards to the Kings. On the same day no less.

At the time, late June of last year, the transactions caused quite the stir in Flyerland. Give up one franchise player? Bold. Two? Maybe a little reckless.

But their act had worn thin around here, particularly amid persistent reports that they were having more fun away from the rink than on it.

When word got out that both had refused to join a “Dry Island’’ pledge (a no drinking pact concocted by the coaching staff), the clock was ticking on the dismantling of the leadership core.

Now both men find themselves in L.A., where it will be interesting to see if things can change.

Media in California are portraying the Carter trade (for highly regarded defenseman Jack Johnson) as a last-ditch effort by general manager Dean Lombardi to save the Kings’ endangered playoff hopes.

Lombardi, a former scout with the Flyers and part of the formidable contingent of ex-Philadelphia personnel on the Kings, had to do something. The Kings have been dead-last in NHL scoring all year and Carter could help in that area, even though injuries have limited him to just 15 goals in 39 games.

Los Angeles has underachieved all year and Lombardi already has had to fire one coach, Terry Murray.

But it wasn’t Murray’s fault that Dustin Penner, brought over from Edmonton in a much-ballyhooed trade, has produced only seven goals all season or that Richards stands 142nd in league scoring with just 14 goals.

Lombardi has been at the Kings’ helm for six years now and his team has yet to make it out of the first round of the playoffs, despite an infusion of high-priced talent. With defenseman Drew Doughty considered one of the best in the business and Jonathan Quick a goalie on the rise, some predicted the Kings to make it out of the West this season.

Right now, just making the playoffs looks like a more realistic goal for the Kings.

And what of the Carter-Richards reunion? How will that work, with the possibility of afterhours activity in Los Angeles more tempting than Philadelphia?

Lombardi had better hope they’re on their best behavior. If not, he could find himself back scouting for some other team real soon.

Trade deadline approaches

With Monday’s trade deadline upon us, the JVR saga finally will be resolved.

A while ago, it was thought the Flyers would dangle their 22-year-old star as bait to secure a replacement for the fallen Chris Pronger. But with the acquisition of Nicklas Grossman and Pavel Kubina, attention turned back to a possible Rick Nash trade.

There are some who believe the Blue Jackets won’t deal Nash until this summer, given they are only on the hook for Nash’s remaining salary this season for another six weeks or so.

NHL.com’s E.J. Hradek said in a radio interview this week that the Jackets could sit tight and perhaps get more suitors and a bigger return if they wait until the summer.

How the Carter trade weighs into this is uncertain. On one hand, the deal confirms the Jackets are serious about making major changes in their structure. On the other, Nash could stick around (he does have a no-trade clause) and be part of a rebuilding phase. The sticking point is his $7.8-million salary cap hit, which doesn’t make sense if you’re trying to upgrade your personnel for the long haul.

There’s still untapped potential with van Riemsdyk. His progress this season has been slowed by a nagging concussion but people shouldn’t forget he was the Flyers’ best player, by far, in last year’s four-game sweep by eventual champion Boston.

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